Rachel Nager, Brooklyn Legal Services Corp. AWith the rapid change and development going on in Brooklyn, tenants have often faced mounting pressures and even illegal harassment from landlords. That’s when Rachel Nager, a staff attorney with B...

Jason Ferreira, Foodtown SupermarketFoodtown Supermarket, located at 76-10 37th Avenue, is a community staple in Jackson Heights. Originally a Shop Wise market, it was taken over by the family of Jason Ferreira in 1997. They started ...

Tony D., Williamsburg NativeOn the opening day of the McCarren Park Pool, Tony D. was lining up among the swarming teenagers who were ready to take a break from the heat. But unlike the rest of the hundreds of locals on line,...

Johnny Perez, Urban Justice CenterIf going to prison is bad, serving time in solitary confinement is even worse, especially the effects it has on a person’s mental health. Johnny Perez, 37, spent 13 years in jail, including three i...

Carlo Scissura, Brooklyn Chamber of CommerceLike many New Yorkers, Carlo Scissura was born to immigrant parents. His parents came from Italy and settled in Bensonhurst, where they opened up a restaurant. Scissura said he remembers working at...

Lara Beaty, LaGuardia Community CollegeThe ongoing battle between the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), the union representing CUNY faculty and staff, and elected officials in Albany has affected many people. Perhaps none are hurt more...

Jimmy Heath, Jazz MusicianFew people in the world can say they’ve played music with jazz legends Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, but that rings true for longtime Corona resident Jimmy Heath. Heath, an NEA Jazz Master h...

Shane Vereen, Giants Running BackShane Vereen is a leading presence on the football field. The New York Giants running back has already won a Super Bowl with his previous team, the New England Patriots, and is now entering his sec...

Willis Elkins, Co-Chair/Newtown Creek CAGWednesday night’s meeting of the Newtown Creek Community Advisory Group (CAG) in Greenpoint got a bit heated. After a state Department of Health (DOH) official presented a study that concluded ther...

Rob Hennessey, “King of Forest Hills”When Verizon workers were on strike in Forest Hills, most demonstrators were wearing red, the main color of the company. One man stood out from the pack. That man was Rob Hennessey, who was sportin...

Skip LaPlante, Ridgewood ArtistThey may be common items for everyday people, but for Ridgewood artist Skip LaPlante they’re musical instruments. LaPlante, a composer originally from the suburbs of Boston, takes items like forks,...

Ralph Barberio - Distribution Manager, CMMBGrowing up in the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, Ralph Barberio used to walk over to the Variety Boys & Girls Club back when it was just the Boys Club. “I lived in the Boys Club,” Barberi...